Please Don't Do This to Your Pesto

I just made pesto with pistachios no cheese…delicious if a bit heftier

Pistachios go great with sage. I make a great pizza with pistachio pesto. - pistachios, sage, olive oil, salt and pepper, parmesan. Often chili flakes too. Great on burgers too (delicious made creamy with a spoonful of creme fraiche stirred in!)

And garlic!!

always garlic

I have seen recipes with pistachio and basil and recipes with pistachio and mint. Just google, you will find many variations.

Thanks for the guidance!

I have to try your pistachio pizza soon! (As soon as this heat dome leaves, I mean.)

Reading these comments make me laugh - there's nothing wrong with experimenting and riffing on traditional recipes. I know most Italians would disagree - I'm Italian. I get it.
I'll bet anything this combo would be delicious - but easy on the mint...mint tends to overpower. IMHO.

I also think of pesto as a method. The best application of the method "outside the box" I ever had, was garlic, walnuts, and olive oil (no herbs) crushed together and eaten with whole-wheat pitas. It was sensational. But it was vaguely the pesto method, rather than the actual pesto itself.

Actually the dish originates from Romans who would add vinegar on to the base of garlic, nuts, oil & cheese. So even the traditional sauce you speak of is a variation of its original predecessor lost to history. It’s not fusion. Ingredients work together in different ways. Take the variation on caprese at Eleven Madison Park. The ingredients are utterly traditional, tomato, basil, olive oil. But the application is brilliant. Mozzarella ice cream, cherry tomato confit, basil leaves & flowers (actually a far more flavorful part of the plant), and a provencal granola. As long as the flavors work, who cares about the name you give to it? I almost guarantee I can make a Thai pesto as good as its Italian counterpart simply because many similar ingredients translate perfectly in that specific dish.

Authentic pesto doesn't need to have Parmigiano-Reggiano in it. According to Donna Klein, author of The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, the Italian households that can't afford cheese don't add it to their pesto.

In French, there is pistou, which is just basil, olive oil and garlic, no nuts or cheese.

Agreed on the toasted sunflower seeds (I use unsalted, and keep them in the fridge to avoid them going rancid) and pepitas (again roasted/toasted.)

I have been making a grilled Ratatouille for more than a decade and everyone loves it. It is standard fare at neighborhood gatherings.

That might be skordalia: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5681-skordalia-garlic-walnut-sauce

It was prepared by an anthropologist who had enjoyed it in the Middle East (can't recall the country). It had no lemon or vinegar, and no breadcrumbs. The NYT skordalia rx looks delicious -- thanks!

You're welcome! I first had it with a dish called Mushakan (chicken with lots of onions & sumac)....delicious!!

sounds good to me!

And you can still call it a pesto. The origins of cooking and combinations are never as carved in stone as people would like to believe. As KelleyJay said (6 posts ago): "So the Pesto Police have drawn the line? My family comes from Tuscany, Italy. They used walnuts in place of pine nuts over there and when they came here. They substituted other nuts, depending on what wa

(Continuing from above).....depending on what was available. Many different kinds of nuts and herbs are used in every region in Italy. Pesto Genovese is the pesto of the Genoa province. Who cares if someone wants to experiment with different ingredients? Not everyone can, or wants to, eat the same things. I say go ahead, have fun, and cross that line." As for your analogy with the "traditional American hamburger", it just isn't analogous, because these various "pastes" in Italy didn't originate in one place...they evolved, so that the basil/pine nut version is one of many, but the one that came to be well known....for whatever reason.

would love to try this...sounds way healthier/cheaper than almonds!

Exactly...there are 34 billion martini's out there these days and the original seems to me to be the best.

yes, yes, yes!

It is my blog. Italians do attempt to apply DOC or controls over some of their culinary traditions, so no, it's not just an opinion. My point is that the English word 'paste' might well be applied to other combinations rather than using the original word 'pesto' which applies to the Genovese and original version.

I very much like that suggestion.

Wow, this is a beautiful website, thanks for sharing!

I am not contesting the use of the word "pesto" really....although....you could call other combinations "variations on pesto". And whether Italians have "attempted" to apply DOC or not to the traditional combination is neither here nor there. I think in general, when people think of pesto, it is the original version. But, once again, that's not what the article is about.

Even in Italy (and not just recently), pesto does not have to contain basil to be called pesto. And traditional pestos at that. I gather that these aren't variations on pesto. They are simply pesto.

Perhaps, when North Americans think of pesto, they think of basil pesto because that's the kind of pesto that became prevalent in North America. But take a look at the following:

"Liguria does not have a monopoly on pesto. [...] [E]ven among green pestos the ingredients can change from region to region and can include other "greens" such as broccoli, flat-leaf parsley and even mint. [...] Red pesto, which contains either fresh or sun-dried tomatoes, has become very popular and is sold alongside its green counterpart in Italy and abroad. The variety made in the Cinque Terre adds sun-dried tomatoes to an otherwise traditional pesto, but it takes on a whole new character from the intense, bright yet earthy flavor of the tomatoes. Sicilian pestos are a whole different world and can contain ingredients like capers, chilies, raisins, anchovies, fennel and mint. [...] [M]any regional pestos, green or red combine or substitute the expensive pine nuts with a locally grown nut such as pistachios or, as in the popular Trapanese pesto from Sicily, almonds." - Justin Demetri, Pesto, Life in Italy http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/pesto.asp

"Pesto genovese is not the only authentic Italian pesto. Pesto rosso is made with sun-dried tomatoes and almonds, while versions from Southern Italy favor sweet red peppers or cherry tomatoes. [...] What all traditional pestos have in common, and what defines a pesto as a pesto is that the ingredients are crushed with a mortar and pestle." - Pantry Essentials: All About Pesto, Serious Eats http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/03/pantry-essentials-all-about-pesto.html

"[R]ecords show that in the past, pesto was sometimes made with substitutions like parsley and marjoram, even butter, in Liguria. People in the mountains added cream from their cows; in certain coastal towns pesto contained (and still does) a bit of tangy local fresh cheese called prescinseua. And while many people today prefer and can afford Parmigiano's delicate flavor, the grandmothers usually used salty pecorino in their pesto because the cheese that came on boats from Sardinia was far more accessible and cheaper than that which came across mountain roads from Parma. Similarly, local walnuts were common instead of pignoli from Pisa, which became the norm after the second World War, when more people could afford to put pricier ingredients in their pesto. Before that, Sergio says, 'People used what they had.'" - Laura Schenone, Glorious Pesto, SAVEUR Magazine No.140

Thank you Elizabeth M!

Yes, thank you Elizabeth M. This is exactly the point I was trying to make about "traditionalism". Most ethnic preparations & dishes have evolved in an organic way...depending upon the ingredients available and local tastes. And I find the process and the differences fascinating. As a result, to be too rigid about them lessens their vitality. This evolution is what is so wonderful about cooking. What the article is trying to do is discourage people from being silly, frankly, and just throwing anything together without any sense.

Lucky you! Fresh oven roasted cashews for the pesto? Brazil nuts? Sounds delicious. I will try these soon.

That sounds pretty amazing, actually (with dry roasted, not candied, peanuts).

But agreed, it ain't pesto.

Actually, when I refer to a candied peanut, I was thinking of the honey dry roasted version. And duh, its not pesto in the traditional sense, but as home cooks who have an arsenal of flavors in their pantry and garden, you are more apt to find a way to make the most of the ingredients you have on hand - even the sweet peanut.

I think that would also be good with Thai basil if it's available.

I be beware of any food from china

Yes definitely.

Oh yeah.

Good excuses to grow sage? It is AWESOME. It is perhaps the prettiest, easiest to grow herb (Rosemary is easier, but not as pretty. several are pretty, but require work). Great in almost ANY Fall or winter soup, stew, casserole. Evergreen and tasty year round. SO no maintenance, evergreen, tasty, looks pretty with pretty purple flowers twice per year (in Nashville at least). No excuse necessary?

the flowers are delicious too! I concur JSM, sage is AWESOME.

@petalpusher--I have never tried the flowers. Quick 411 on how you use them?

Can you give the recipe for your sage walnut pesto? I usually do a 4 herb pesto with the traditional ingredients otherwise. However, I had a creamy walnut/parmesan pesto in Italy and I'd love to duplicate it. Maybe it had sage in it and your recipe could be the one:)

They have a light sage flavor with a hint of sweetness. I pluck them straight off the plant for a garden snack. And use them to liberally garnish pork loin, baked salmon, herb deviled eggs and white cheddar dishes. Snip the stem of flowers down to the first set of leaves and pull the blossoms off right onto your dish. You will be competing with bees and hummingbirds for these little purple wonders, but you probably already know that.

Love sage, always have it i my garden. Looks beautiful in bouquets, too! So fragrant! I like to make small bouquets of sage, rosemary, thyme , (no parsley, lol) and lavender and place in my home, esp. Kitchen and bathrooms.

Yep, the parsley leaves are too wimpy to hang with the others. Their fragrance matches their unique design. Another sage wonder is a tea made from or dry leaves soothes sore throats, especially from tonsillitis. Great for kids with a little honey and lemon before bedtime.

above ^ that would be fresh or dried sage leaves.

Thanks! Never thought ofusing sage in a tea!

you lost me at measurments.

Yes and to that point the word pesto I believe is derived from the mortar and [pest]le used to mash and smash the ingredients into a paste. So any combination can be considered a pesto.

Anyone who ignorantly believes that there is ONE way to make ANY "traditional" dish has clearly not traveled around very much. Not sure there is a such thing as one way to make a traditional dish. Prior to the mid 1900's, even if there WERE one better way to make a traditonal dish, the ingredients would have been unavailable most of the year. Anyone ever had pine nuts go rancid? It is not pretty. In addition, frequently most people's version of "traditional" is actually an American (if in USA) version of traditional. I have stopped being shocked when versions of dishes that are American Cliches of a culture's cuisine bear no similance of the actual dish served locally. I laugh every time I hear a question like, "who serves AUTHENTIC Mexican cheese dip (or Margaritas). I have traveled quite a bit in Mexico, guess how many bowls of cheese dip I have EVER seen served in authentic Mexican restaurants? ZERO. (not counting Senor Frog's or Hard Rock in Mexico). One of my favorite cafes in Puerto Vallarta has, on its menu, an AMERICAN food section. Hamburgers, Burritos, Fajitas. A good Mexican friend told me the first time he ever heard the word Burrito was after he moved to the United States.

Wow, that's my arugula pesto recipe exactly. Sometimes I'll use reggiano but this recipe rocks.

Instead of rice, we like corn kernels in stuffed peppers, well seasoned, along with the other usual ingredients.

I've used whole oat groats in place of rice for stuffed peppers with terrific results!

How about subbing orso or couscous for the rice?

I was going to suggest trying barley in place of the rice. Or a mixed whole grain mix. I frequently do. And I tolerate rice fine. Rice has little flavor so anything that DOES have flavor substitutes well.

I tried orso couscous and barley but not whole oat groats or corn any recommendation on cooking time on the whole oat groats as that sounds better as the reason people use rice is it has little flavor but absorbs the flavor from the meat and sauce

Quinoa for rice?

I used Bob's Red Mill Brand for mine. I think there's probably cooking instructions on the bag (I couldn't find any in my pantry just now, so I can't say for certain what they recommend), but as I recall they cook up just about the same as brown rice. I made mine in a rice cooker the same way I would cook brown rice in it. I posted my recipe online awhile back, if you'd like the link to it.

An Italian friend always added butter, too! Wonderful!

I, too, Love Marcella Hazan's addition of butter. It adds a smoothness and is lovely. I use a variety of nuts, cheeses and herbs. Thanksgiving pesto is good with sage and thyme, for example.

In my region of Italy -- they also put butter in their basil pesto. yum. also, beware of most pine nuts being sold in the usa. (imported from china, korea, etc.) many people are allergic to them -- http://www.latimes.com/local/abcarian/la-me-ra-bad-taste-in-my-mouth--20140722-column.html

I'll have to try that!

I love hemp hearts! Hmmm

Because life is too short to follow recipes or believe in fictional fairy tales about the one way to cook anything.

And because I do no always have Pine Nuts. Or Basil. Or Olive oil. Or cheese.

My grandfather used to do that, but without the walnuts. He'd make a batch and store it in the fridge.

?

Do you remove seeds and skins from the tomatoes before blending?

Thanks for the idea!

Good info!

I use some nutmeg to give the nutty flavor..I don't eat nuts.

Oops! Good catch!

Hear! Hear! I've been leaving out the pine nuts for years. The paste of basil, Parmegiano-Reggiano, and olive oil, slathered on hot pasta, sings with flavor. I save pine nuts for preparations that highlight their special flavor - especially when they are heated or singed. I have always found them to be bland filler in basil pesto.

Oop! Garlic, of course!

I'm with you on both counts. I, too, use a small spoon of peanut butter instead of tahini in my hummus. But, that was AFTER I ran out of roasted almond butter, which is what I prefer. That's sublime. I never have tahini lying around because I just don't like it. People would be surprised how similar nut & seed butters taste. You really can't tell the difference in a recipe. Recipes were developed by folks using whatever grows around them. As for pesto, no pine nuts in mine. They cost a fortune, go rancid very quickly and I don't like the taste. I've always used hazelnuts, lightly toasted, in my pesto. They meld beautifully with the basil, garlic and olive oil. and add a richer depth of flavor than pine nuts. Everybody loves both my pesto and my hummus, so, no harm- no foul. Use whatcha' like and whatcha' got!

I'm with you, Burf! I keep thinking about ways to make the honey-roasted peanuts work in some form of pesto. I think it's doable. Report back if you give it a try!

VanessaJo, I agree and am happy to see comments like this.

I suspect that many view me as another "THAT person," but the free flow of ideas and differing viewpoints makes the site more interesting, and helpful, wouldn't you agree? ;o)

Absolutely. :)

I love when people marry etymology with their other nerd-isms. Yes, yes, yes.

And, just to stoke the fire, it's not blasphemy if you put bison and pepperjack on bread and call it a southwestern cheese steak...it is! (Just no longer a Philly Cheesesteak).

I would say that the caveat is that I find it distasteful when restaurants are guilty of misdirection. I recently encountered "beet ravioli" which, by the way, didn't involve pasta but was "pasta" made from beets.

Pistachios are excellent in pesto!